True Love Never Ends
by babygirl227822
Summary: Present day Passions set up. Theresa is pregnant trying to get Luis and Miguel out of prison. Will Theresa and Ethan make it through this trial, or are they finally ended? Read and find out. An ET fic.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own or or have any association with Passions, and NBC. However any new characters you do see I do own. I hope you like it. This is my third story I have written, my first about the Passions characters however. I appreciate all reviews because the help me become a better writer, and since that is what I plan to be this also helps me hone on my abilities. 

I'm also going to give you a little summary on what the story is about. It is of course a Ethan and Theresa fic, being they are my two favorite characters on the show. The story begins in the present Passions episodes. The story starts after Theresa and Jared are married, and the blackmailer is trying to get Theresa to have Jareds baby, and leave Ethan alone. Trust me on this, I believe if you give it a chance you will love the story. I hope to get ten reviews before I put up the second chapter. Hope you enjoy!!!!

ANA

**Chapter One: Big News**

" Theresa are you sure, I mean are you positive it was correct? How many did you take, you know, they aren't always trustworthy." Whitney said as she paced Theresa's bedroom. Then she looked over her shoulder and saw her best friend almost in tears, as she rocked back and forth on her bed. Whitney ran to her and wrapped her arms around Theresa in a tight hug, trying to send reasurrance and love.

"I've taken ten, Whit, and they all say the same thing. What am I going to do? I don't want to be pregnant, not with Jared's baby. Why did this happen to my family and I, Whit? Why? What have I really done to deserve this but try to be with the man I truly love?"

"I don't know Theresa. I honestly don't know. No one deserves to go throught what you are right now. Its not fair…How are you going to tell Ethan?"

Theresa gasped and put her hands over her mouth as tears streamed down her face. She shook her head as the sobs started to bubble up her throat. How was she going to tell Ethan. He would be furious, he would be hurt, and worse of all…he would never forgive her for this. He had told her not to go through with it, not to fall into the blackmailers hands, and not to give up on him. But that was just exactly what she did. She gave up on him and how would she explain that to him? How would he ever want her now that she was pregnant with another man's child.

"I don't know what I'm going to tell him Whit, I'm not sure if there is a way to tell him so he will still want to be with me. It's possible that this time I've actually lost him for good."

"Oh, Theresa you can't think like that. Look at what you have both been through and still in the end you two always end up together. It isn't any different now, it can't be any different Theresa. He loves you, he loves you with everything he is. When this is over you will see, he will be there and he will be a father to all of your children, even this one."

"I know, and I am grateful for all those times we have loved without regret. Without having to sneak around and feel dirty after we touched. But he's only human Whit, and this, this isn't fair for him. He forgave me for little Ethan, because I didn't diliberatley get pregnant with him. Even though Little Ethan is Ethans son, he still thinks he's Julians. But this is different. I deliberatley became pregnant with another man's child. It wasn't a mistake, it was purposeful, and even though I didn't want to and he knows that, I still did."

"You're trying to save your brothers, Theresa. It wont work. God, I'm the worst kind of person there is. Gwen and Rebecca are right. I'm nothing more than a whore."

"Don't say that Theresa, your not. Your just trying to do whats right for your brothers. And even though this situation is very very messed up. Ethan will realize that, and in the the end everything will fall into place."

"I hope your right, Whit. Because I can't live without him again. I've tried to so many times and it just doesn't work. My heart and soul needs him to much to survive. I'm only half without him."

"Don't worry Theresa, everything will fall right into place and we all will be happy. Harmony is overdue for some happiness anyways."

Ethan sat in his office looking over papers trying to find something, anything that would get Luis and Miguel out of prison. There had to be something anything, even the slightest hint that everything was a set-up, and that both were innocent. He had to find something now only for Luis and Miguel, not only for Theresa, but for himself. He couldn't live without Theresa again. He was finally able to be a family, with the one woman he truly loved, the one woman that understood him perfectly.

"Come on, there has to be something. This, this, _thing_, has made a mistake I just have to find it. I have to find if before Theresa goes through with this persons, demands. I can't loose her to Jared. I wont loose her to Jared, and I won't let her have another man's child. The only man she should be having children with is me."

He looked over at the clock that sat on his desk and sighed. It was almost eight o'clock at night and he had been in his office since five this morning with nothing helping him in his quest to set Luis and Miguel free. He rubbed his hands over his face, trying to rub the sleep away from his eyes. He had to go back to the mansion. He couldn't stay here all night. He wouldn't be good to anyone if he didn't get any sleep. Setting all his papers back into their folders and filing them he got up and left, locking his office behind him. What he didn't know, was that something lurked in the shadows watching him, and his every move. Something that was taking way from him everything that he always wanted, always dreamed of.

"You will be mine Ethan," the dark voice said as the figure came from the shadows, "you will be mine willingly or not. But you will never be with Theresa again, I will kill you and her first."

Theresa sat in the kitchen with only the light of the moon shining on her. She needed the dark now, she needed it because if fit her mood. She rolled the cup back and forth in her hands as she watched the orange juice turn with each move. She couldn't think, she was so worn out from the day that she actually had no thoughts in her head.

She heard the kitchen door creek open then the lights switched on. She didn't turn around, she thought it was Jared coming to find out when she would be coming to bed. She didn't want to go to bed. She just wanted the night.

"Theresa, what are you doing?" That's when she turned to face Ethan.

"Oh, nothing, just thinking."

"About…"

"Life, love, how we always end up here in this place." She said going back to turning her glass of orange juice watching the liquid spin with each turn. Ethan kneeled next to her laying a hand on her arm stilling her hands. Still she didn't look at him. Finally he reached up and put a finger under her chin turning her head to look down at him. She saw the love in his eyes, the love and passion that he only had for her.

"No matter what happens, in the end we will be together. Never doubt that. Our love is stronger than anything that could ever come up against it."

"You say that now Ethan. But there are things, things I want to tell you, that could change your mind."

"Nothing could ever change my mind about this, or how I feel. You know you can tell me anything."

"I would if I knew I wouldn't loose everything."

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing, I shouldn't have even said that much."

"Theresa has this anything to deal with the blackmailer?"

"Some of it does, but I had a choice to make, and I chose to do one thing and it was what I thought was right at the time. Now I wish I had just listened to everyone and did what my heart said. Now I'm in a situation I can't get out of, and all I want is to go to sleep and wake up next to you, every morning. Now I have to wake up to a man that I could have loved if only you weren't in the picture."

"What are you saying Theresa?"

"I'm saying that I have to go through with what the blackmailer has said. I need my brothers out of prison, and I can't wait any longer for you to try and find something to get them out. By the time you do, it could be to late for Luis and Miguel. I just need you to know I love you. I always will, I always have, you must know that in the end of things. When I'm with Jared I will put your face on him."

"Theresa you can't give up on me, I'm working and I'm getting information. Soon I will have enough evidence to get a appeal for both Luis and Miguel." Ethan said just a little bit frantically as he saw the hope in her eyes gently fade away. She was finally giving up on him on the life that they should have always had.

"I'm not giving up on you Ethan. I'm giving up on me. I don't have the strength to wait any longer to have my brothers back. I can't watch my mother and sister walk around like the dead as I just sit here and do nothing. As I sit here and wait, for something that might not happen.

"Theresa…"

"Ethan, I'm pregnant." There she said it and she knew he heard her from the way his face fell as if his very life had been taken from him. He stood, and walked to the door and them back to her. He was angry now, angry, hurt, distraught, all of those put together could make a lethal combination.

"How could you, how could you do this to us. I thought you loved me, you said you loved me and wanted to be with me. How could you have another man's baby?"

"I have to Ethan, its either that of Luis will die and Miguel will be left to rot in prison, I can't let that happen. I love them to much to loose them too."

"You didn't give me a chance…"

"I did, I gave you all the time I could afford to give you. Now they will be set free."

Ethan stormed out of the kitchen, and up to his room. Theresa stayed in the kitchen as she cried for all the she had lost. She didn't know that the creature that had done all of this was only feet away laughing with triumph.


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you for reading and reviewing my story. I hope you enjoyed the first chapter and enjoy this chapter even more. I know I enjoy every moment I type a word on here. As you all know I do not own Passions, or have any association with NBC or it's characters. Keep up the reviews and I hope you enjoy reading.

**Chapter Two: Fate Brought Us Together…Fate Can Take Us Apart**

She didn't sleep at all that night, more than that, she couldn't sleep at all that night. It hurt to much to think about Ethan only steps away in another room, while she had to stay in her room with her husband. It wasn't Jared's fault, he was just the middle man in all this. He had no idea what really led to their marriage. He loved her, and that's all she knew, and she would have to be content in knowing that. She felt guilty though. She felt the guilt deep down in her soul because it was one sided and could never be returned the way it should be.

Theresa sighed as she walked the halls, like a phantom. No matter how one sided the love of her sham marriage she would keep the air that Jared, Little Ethan, Jane, and her were one large happy family. And this new baby, he or she would grow up with parents that loved and cherished him or her, she would be sure of that. Maybe, even after awhile Ethan would not hate her so much and want to be friends again. They had both been friends, great friends, before life stepped in and ripped everything apart.

As she walked past Janes door, Theresa stopped as she heard mumbling. If that creature was in her baby girls room she would kill the bastard herself. Slowly she kept to the door, planning on surprising the intruder, that's when she realized who spoke. It wasn't the blackmailer, it was Ethan. She opened the door slowly so she could just peek in, and hear better, and she saw Ethan standing over the sleeping baby's crib, arms folded and resting on the rail.

"You know baby girl. You look more and more like your Mama everyday. I see I'm going the have to have a bat near the door when you become a teenager to keep those boys away from you, Princess. You know, I met your Mama again when she was seventeen. We were friends when we were little then Julian and your Grandmother sent me to boarding school. And I will admit, I forgot her. But then when I met her again, and got to know her, something inside me stirred, something I really hadn't felt before, and it hasn't stopped since, not even when I was married to Gwen. Theresa she always brought out the side of me I hid while I was a Crane, she brought out the regular person that I was afraid of showing. And I thank her everyday for that because if it wasn't for her, I would be just like Allistar and Julian, and I wouldn't be a very good Daddy to you. Sometimes I even wonder why she chose me…" Ethan sighed and smiled at his sleeping daughter. Even as his heart broke a million times he tried to smile for a little girl that didn't even notice and he would do the same for little Ethan also. He would hold up his pretenses while the children were around then break when he was alone. Alone, that word echoed in his mind. You are alone now and will be forever.

"Sometimes the smallest of miracles are the greatest. And you my daughter, are the greatest joy I could have. Atleast I will have you when all of this is over, to remember the love your Mother and I share."

Theresa didn't even know what to say, and part of her didn't want to say anything. Then she moved around the corner as Ethan made his way out of their daughters room, and headed towards Little Ethan's. Did he do this every night? Check on both the children? Talk to them while they slept. She could understand with Jane, she was his. Even though Little Ethan was to he didn't know that, he still thought he was Julian's.

"Hey sport, sorry that I haven't been here in awhile to talk to you. I know as you always look forward to our little chats while your sleeping." Ethan said forcing a chuckle. He just wasn't in the mood to laugh right now.

"You know I love you like my own. I always wished you were mine, I still do. I used to imagine that if I loved you enough you would just magically become my son, but I realize I don't have to love you anymore than I already do, because to me you are mine. I thought that after all this mess was over your Mom and I would get married and I could make it legal. I know that Julian would put up a fight, just because he's selfish, but in the end I would win out, and you would have the last name of Winthrop instead of Crane. It doesn't look like that's going to happen now. I will also admit that everytime I see you with Jared, my blood boils with envy, because I see you love him just as much as you love me. More so now because he is your step father now. I loathe that man. He has everything I wanted, everything I hoped for. And I'm left just watching from the outfield."

"When your older you will go through heartache and relationship problems. I just pray that nothing happens to you like it has to your mother and I. I hope this curse Harmony has on us all skips you and your sister, along with all the other young ones. You don't deserve to know how a heart breaks when you learn that after all your fighting and praying in the end you still loose out on the one thing you want. I wanted a family with your mother, and I came close, so close we could almost taste it several times. But each time fate brought us together, it tore us apart again. Sometimes I think this is how it was always supposed to be. A rocky merry-go-round, things just keep happening the same way with it never stopping."

Finally Ethan just sat and looked at the young boy and watched him sleep in innocence. 'I wont let what has happened to Theresa and I, happen to these children. I will die trying to stop it. They atleast deserve to be happy as Theresa and I did.' He smoothed Little Ethan's hair away from his forehead and leaned down a gave him a kiss, like a father would a son, Theresa thought. She had to talk to him, she had to tell him the truth about Little Ethan. Even if they couldn't be together, atleast he would have both his children to love and support. Atleast he would have his son and his daughter. She moved into the shadows as he stepped out and slowly closed the doors so not to wake the sleeping boy. When he began to move off towards his bedroom, she laid her hand on his shoulder, and he stilled.

"Ethan, we have to talk." Theresa said in little more than a whisper. He turned to look down at her and he saw the misery in her eyes. He nodded his head and without a word began walking to his room. So if they were going to talk he would make sure it was somewhere private, somewhere tempting. Why did it seem God, always tempted her? She followed him anyways, and shut the door behind her then looked at him as he sat on the bed and began to undress.

"Do you think that's appropiate Ethan, I mean I'm in the room."

"Its not like you haven't seen my naked body before, Theresa." He sneered not looking at her. But out of his guilt for being cruel he stepped into the bathroom to change. When he came back out was in a plaid pair of pajama pants.

"May I ask you how long you were standing in the hall."

Theresa looked down at the floor then back up to him. How could she tell him she had intruded upon two very private, very personel conversations. They were with sleeping children, yes, but they had still been personel, and were not meant to be intruded upon. She decided to tell him the truth all of it. He might not like it, but it was the truth none-the-less.

"I accidently stumbled upon you talking to Jane first. I heard mumbling and I thought at first it was the blackmailer. I was going to sneak up on him and kill the bastard if he was anywhere near her or Little Ethan. Then when I got closer I began to hear your voice better and I knew it was you. So I listened. I admit it, I spied in on you talking to our daughter, then when you went to Little Ethan I had to hear what you had to say to him also. I was curious. I'm sorry for snooping." He didn't say anything at first. He didn't know where to begin. She had heard everything.

"I meant every word I said Theresa."

"I know and that's what I came here to talk to you about. There is something I have to tell you. Something that could cause me to loose everything, but I have to let you know, the secret the blackmailer has over me."

"Theresa, what do you mean. You say that it could cost you everything, but what could be so bad that it would do that?"

"It isn't that bad, most of it is good. But I will loose Crane, and I will loose the money and power and the ability to help my brothers. Because it's a secret the blackmailer doesn't want you to know."

"Then he wont know, I know. I will keep it a secret, just tell me."

"You wont be able to keep it a secret."

"Yes I will. Theresa you didn't believe I could help your brothers, believe me on this."

She stressed about how to say it, what words to say. Then she decided fast and clean like ripping off a bandage. It would sting at first, but the pain would ease away fast.

"Little Ethan is actually your son."

"What?"

"He is your son, Ethan. I found out in Rome. I was going to tell you I swear, but then, I thought that if I did you would take him away again. I couldn't risk loosing my son again when I already lost my daughter. Then I was going to tell you when I was fed up with everything at Crane. That's when the blackmailer came, and my brothers were sentenced. I couldn't tell you because Little Ethan is the hier, and if he was yours he would no longer be hier. I would loose everything I had to help my brothers. Then I was going to tell you after I got my brothers out of prison, then everything happened at once, and now I can't afford to loose the money or power."

He didn't say anything, couldn't say anything…he had a son. He had a son and it was a little boy that he loved more than anything. Yet he hadn't been in his life the way a father should be. He had been kept from that pleasure of raising and watching his child grow and mature. He didn't know whether or not to be furious or extatic. He went with the latter, he already had so much to be upset about, learning that you had a son with the woman you truly loved shouldn't be one of them. With that thought he pulled her close, kissed her forhead, and said two words she didn't think she would hear from him.

"Thank you?" Looking up she was astonished.

"For what?"

"For giving me the two most perfect children."


	3. Chapter 3

Thank you so much for the reviews they were great and I always love hearing how much my readers enjoy the story. I'm sure you will enjoy this chapter just as much as you enjoyed the last. Also with college getting out for the summer I will be able to spend more time working on more works. 

As always I have not ever nor sadly will never be associated with Passions or any of the characters. But with out further ado here is the third chapter you all have been patiently waiting for.

Ana

P.S. Please Review

**CHAPTER THREE: Pretending **

The morning sunlight spread its rays out like a child's arms reaching for its mother. The light reached into Theresa's bedroom and gently caressed her cheek until she woke. Her eyes slowly fluttered open as she adjusted to her surroundings, and saw that her dream hadn't come true. Jared faced her, breathing lightly with his arm tossed across her waist. It wasn't Ethan that she saw; it wasn't Ethan that she would kiss good morning.

She decided to ease out of the bed and leave Jared lay where he was, besides she had to get the children ready for the days schedule. Little Ethan would go to school and Jane would go with her to Crane Industries to be watched at the day care. They would have to leave soon to be on time and she still had to get dressed and get the children their breakfast. She dressed quickly for work and made off to Jane's room to get her washed and dressed for the day. When Theresa went to the crib she saw it empty save a note with Ethan's handwriting.

Theresa,

I grabbed the kids and got them ready. We are down in the kitchen having some breakfast. Come down when you're ready. I'm making Pancakes 

She smiled and then chuckled a little. Not at the note, but at the humor of her life. You would think she was in a Soap Opera. First she falls in love with the rich unattainable home town guy then he falls in love with her and leaves his long time girlfriend and fiancé for her. Then his true paternity is found out and he learns he isn't the rich boy he thought he was but the son of a working class father. There wedding gets broken up by a rampaged tells her son that the love of his life was the one that told his paternity to the world. And it that wasn't enough she runs away to Hawaii and gets married her true loves ex-father and then finds out that she is pregnant with his child, which actually was her true loves child. And that's not all. Then he marries the old girlfriend and stays with her for some odd years, now they a divorced (for certain reasons we do not need to re hash) and now they (Ethan and Theresa) can't be together because she was forced to marry a man she could love if only her true love wasn't in the picture. And to top it all off, she was pregnant.

Theresa sighed as if she had just said that all in one breathe. Well life was life and she had to live it. Making her way down stairs she composed her self so Ethan and the children couldn't tell of the stress she was under. At least Ethan knew now of Little Ethan that was one weight that could be taken off her shoulders.

When she stepped into the kitchen she could hear the laughing of father and son and see the smiles of the family she had dreamed off since she was a little girl. And the worst pain that she had ever had was there in front of her. Being denied the one thing she truly wanted, the one thing she fought for, and the most painful was that everything was at the tips of her fingers and she just couldn't get a grip on them. That's when Ethan turned around and smiled at her; Little Ethan followed his fathers gaze and smiled brightly at his mother then went to her and gave her a hug.

"Good morning Mommy." He said his arms wrapped around her waist and his head tilted up to her. She smiled down at him and kissed the top of his head.

"Good morning honey. How is everything going in here?"

"Great, Uncle Ethan and I are making pancakes for you and Jane."

"Sounds great, and it smells great too." Theresa went over to where Jane was sitting in her high chair and kissed her little girl on her cheek. This was life and this was good.

Ethan brought a stack of pancakes over to the table and started cutting one up in pieces for Jane while Theresa made a plate for little Ethan. After the children were settled and eating Ethan pulled Theresa away for the children so they could speak privately.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, why would you think something is wrong?"

"Because I saw your face when you came in and it looked sad, annoyed, and desperate."

Theresa looked away and Ethan moved his head into her line of vision.

"Uh uh don't look away from me, don't look away from us. Tell me what the problem is. It can't be about last night…"

"No" She interrupted before he could finish his sentence. "No, its not that, last night was special because I got to tell you something I've wanted to for such a long time now and you didn't reject the truth, Little Ethan, or me. It's about how my life has turned out. It just seems like everything I have wanted is just being dangled in front of me like a carrot. Its there and it looks like I can reach it but every time I try, I can only brush it with me finger tips and never really grab hold. It's like we are living in a bad dream Ethan, and all we can do is pretend."

He gathered her close, and kissed the top of her head then laid his cheek where he had just kissed. Looking at the children he sighed. What else were they supposed to do when everything was so complex and complicated?

"My love for you is real; my love for our children is real. So we will pretend until everything else can become real too."

Short I know, but it's to the point. More will come soon! Please keep the Reviews coming and tell people about the story also.

ANA


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